Clos Roussely, Touraine Gamay “Canaille”

At first, I couldn’t understand why this Gamay is called “Canaille,” the French word for “rabble.” Then we tasted it, and four different sets of hands reached out to claim the bottle. I can’t help but think it’s called Canaille because this wine draws a crowd, and a thirsty one at that. It’s nothing short of drop-dead gorgeous, and it stomped on three very respectable Cru Beaujolais bottling during the same tasting. Hailing from the Touraine district in the Loire, this sneaky little bottle packs an unexpected punch of velvety red fruit and mouth-watering minerality. It’s certainly greater than the sum of its parts—40-year-old Gamay, organic farming, neutral oak, a touch of carbonic maceration—which means that it’s held together by that particular je ne sais quoi that’s defined every great French wine I’ve ever had. And since Touraine remains firmly under the radar of all but the savviest Gamay lovers, it’s priced so that you can order a case and invite your own canaille over for an un